The Dark Secret
by LeafaLynx
Summary: (takes place after the events of Babetteisawesome's Dark series) Even though Babette's evil reign has ended and she has been reformed, danger still lurks in the shadows. Two people have a thirst for vengeance against Lumiere. Can the newly reformed Babette help them restore what they've lost and become better people?
1. Chapter 1

**Before I start, I would like to say a few things. First of all, I have Babetteisawesome's permission to write this story. I told her my idea, and she gave me permission to continue the series with this book. Second, I will be continuing The Special Ones. I am going to be doing both stories. Because of that, I probably won't update too often (not that I did anyway).**

Babette, Lumiere, and Cogsworth made their way down towards the dining hall. Babette giggled slightly as she watched Cogsworth practically skip down the hall, his now fully grown wings fluttering with each bouncy step. After Babette's evil reign had been ended, Mrs. Potts had devoted her time and healing magic to restoring Cogsworth's wings. Just yesterday, they had grown back to their full size, and Cogsworth couldn't be happier. Just thinking of the time when Cogsworth's wings had been sliced off sent the memory searing into Babette's mind.

" _Y-you called, Mistress?" Cogsworth stammered._

" _The Beast is starting to get out of my control. I want you to find Tamers to get him back in check." Babette instructed, her back to him. "However, I don't want these Tamers to know about the servants' magic. Your wings will have to go." An enchanted blade appeared in her hand._

 _Panic coursed through Cogsworth's veins. "There is a way for pixies and fairies to hide their wings." Cogsworth said quickly, cowering at the thought of that blade removing his wings._

" _Do you know how?" Babette asked, clearly losing her patience._

" _Well, it takes practice to learn, and I never bothered because I thought it'd be a waste of time," Cogsworth trailed off as he saw Babette's grip on the blade's hilt tighten. "But I can learn! If you give me some time, I can do it, and until then I can hide my wings under my jacket." Babette didn't listen to his pleas. Instead, she whirled around and sliced the sword down on Cogsworth's wings, leaving only an inch of his former wings behind._

 _A shriek that sounded as if it should be coming out of a siren instead of a pixie echoed throughout the halls of the castle. Everyone within its walls could hear the pained cry. It was not long before Mrs. Potts appeared in the doorway. "Get rid of him," Babette said. Mrs. Potts gently picked up Cogsworth (who had shrunk to his five inch size) in her hands, and left the room._

Babette shuddered at the horrible memory. How had she been so cruel? Why hadn't she listened to him?

"Isn't it hard to believe that Adam and Belle have been ruling for a year now?" Lumiere sighed.

"I find it hard to believe that just a year ago you were in a fireplace." Babette answered, her tone slightly light hearted and mostly remorseful. Just as she finished speaking, they arrived at the dining room. The three servants took there seats and waited for the rest of the servants to arrive.

Angelique sat down in the chair beside Cogsworth. The pixie and the siren exchanged a smile. Babette glanced over at Lumiere, wondering if he was suspecting the same thing that she was. "Do you think?" Babette whispered in her husband's ear.

"You never know," Lumiere whispered back.

The last of the servants arrived at last. Once everyone was seated, Adam raised his goblet. "I propose a toast to the beginning of a new and prosperous reign just as we have had this past year." A cheer rose from the servants at their king's words. Everyone began to drink.

All of a sudden, Lumiere began coughing and choking. Babette bean to panic. Mrs. Potts was at his side in a heartbeat, ready to use her magic. "That's not wine," Lumiere gasped.

"Peculiar," Angelique trailed off. "Usually if a glass would be poisoned, it would be the king's."

"Perhaps they had the wrong glass." Cogsworth suggested.

"Or, someone wanted Lumiere dead." Angelique added.

000

That night, Cogsworth and Babette were making there way towards the servants' quarters in silence. Thanks to Mrs. Potts, Babette knew Lumiere was going to be fine, but she couldn't help but worry that Angelique could be right.

"Cogsworth!" Lumiere's enraged voice echoed down the hall. He stormed down the hall but stopped short when he saw Babette standing there.

"Go on, Lumiere," a voice said behind him, "tell her the truth." A pair of ice blue eyes shined from the shadows behind him. Angelique stepped out of the shadows, a wicked smile on her face.

Out of the corner of her eye, Babette saw the same expression mirrored on Cogsworth's face. When he smiled, Babette could see a set of brilliant fangs that weren't normal for a pixie. What was going on?


	2. Chapter 2

"Yes, Lumiere, tell her the truth," Cogsworth sneered, "about _us_."

"Lumiere, what's going on?" Babette asked.

He seemed hesitant and nervous, afraid even, to tell her this 'truth' that Cogsworth and Angelique had been talking about. "Fine," Lumiere sighed. "Many years ago, I… I… I had…"

"What?" Babette breathed.

"Go on, tell her what you did to us." Angelique hissed in his ear.

"I-I stole their hearts." Lumiere admitted.

"Why?" Babette gasped.

The shadows in the hallway loomed over them. They seemed to weigh heavily on Lumiere's shoulders while Cogsworth and Angelique embraced the surrounding darkness. A dark expression flashed across Lumiere's face for a split second before turning into desperation.

"Babette, please, you have to understand! I didn't have much of a choice. I couldn't let them keep hurting people." Lumiere begged her to understand.

"After all of these years, that's the best excuse you can come up with?" Cogsworth scoffed.

"If that's your reasoning for taking our hearts, why does she still have hers?" Angelique questioned, pointing to Babette. Angelique smiled when she saw the shocked expressions on both hybrids' faces. "That's right. If we're heartless because we hurt so many, why didn't you steal Babette's heart a long time ago? She killed many and even tried to kill me." The siren lifted her chin to reveal the scar on her neck. Babette felt the regrets hit her like a smack in the face for the second time that day.

"You set all of it up!" Lumiere accused.

"We did no such thing. We merely saw that she was suffering and gave her a push in the right direction." Cogsworth rephrased. The half-menacing and half-jeering tone of his voice was oddly familiar to Babette, especially with the way it seemed to echo off the walls.

The echoing voice from before her evil reign rang in Babette's ears, ' _You don't deserve this. You don't deserve to be mistreated, lied to, and betrayed. What you want is happiness, and you will find it through justice.'_ That was where Babette had heard that voice before! She hadn't realized it at the time, but Cogsworth and Angelique tricked her and turned her on the path of evil. 

"You tricked me into becoming a monster! You made me hurt all of those innocent people." Babette screamed at the two Heartless. Her blue eyes had a cold, familiar shine. Though they did not show it, the harsh reminder of Babette's former villainy badly wavered Cogsworth and Angelique's confidence.

"We didn't _make_ you do anything." Angelique replied. If Babette hadn't been so angry, she might've noticed the moment it took for Angelique to gather up her confidence again. "All we did was put the idea of revenge into your head. You did all of the hurting. You did the rest on your own."

"Well, we mocked Lumiere a bit too," Cogsworth added.

"A bit?" Lumiere exclaimed.

"Alright, alright, we mocked you a lot." Cogsworth corrected himself, laughing at the thought of it all.

Lumiere looked like he was about ready to attack the pixie, and Babette couldn't blame him. She was just as annoyed. Her vision began to blur red, making the Heartlesses' eyes seem to glow a deep crimson, or maybe they were like that anyway. Babette wasn't sure what to expect from them anymore. All she knew as that they were annoying her half to death.

Both Heartlesses smiled wickedly at the hybrids. Babette wanted to strangle the smug expression off of Angelique's face. However, Babette's anger did not seem to phase the siren. A ball of fire flickered to life in her hand. Surely it wouldn't matter if she scorched a bit of that golden hair off.

Lumiere grabbed hold of her wrist before she could hurl the fireball at the Heartless. "Don't do something you'll regret. That's exactly what they want: for you to act wicked again." Lumiere whispered to her. Babette nodded as the fireball died away.

"Lumiere, why do you always have to ruin our fun?" Angelique pouted.

"I refuse to let you keep manipulating people." Lumiere answered.

Angelique was about to say something more when Cogsworth held up his hand, silencing her. "This is just the beginning, Lumiere," he threatened. "We will make you suffer for what you did to us. But, for now, we will let you two deal with this shocking revelation." With that said, he shrunk down to a smaller size and flew away, disappearing into the darkness. Glaring in Babette's direction, Angelique followed him, the darkness swallowing all but her piercing blue eyes. However, those too quickly disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

Angelique awoke to the sound of banging on her window. With a groan, she hoisted herself out of bed and stomped over to the window. Frustrated by the fact that she had been so rudely awakened, Angelique tore open her curtains.

Standing on her windowsill, his foot tapping in impatience, was the smaller sized version of Cogsworth. The two glared at each other through the glass. Angelique pushed open the window, nearly knocking over little, tiny Cogsworth with the glass as she did so. "Cogsworth, why in the name of hearts are you banging on my window at this hour?" Angelique shouted at him.

"I am nearly out of potions which is bad considering the fact that we just revealed everything to Babette last night. We don't know if she will respond with compassion or violence. As much as I dread the thought, compassion would be much easier for us. However, if it does come to violence, I would like to be prepared." Cogsworth explained.

"And why did you have to wake me up so early for all of this?" Angelique questioned him. "Couldn't you have waited until breakfast or something?" She let out a long yawn.

Cogsworth clenched his tiny fists in agitation, annoyed by her lack of understanding. "I cant risk having anyone follow me. I don't need the whole castle finding out that I tried to poison Lumiere. That would end with me in a dungeon cell!"

"What does any of this have to do with me? Why didn't you just leave and then get back before anyone realized that you were gone?" Angelique continued questioning him.

"This trip isn't going to be that fast or that easy. I need you to cover for me while I'm gone, come up with some sot of excuse for my absence" Cogsworth explained. He spoke slowly as if he was trying to explain something to a small child. Angelique was half tempted to flick him off of her windowsill like he was nothing but an annoying fly.

Cogsworth turned and kicked off of the windowsill, flying into the pale gray morning sky. Until then, Angelique had not even noticed the leather satchel that he carried with him. As the pixie slowly disappeared from her view, Angelique couldn't help but wonder what was inside his satchel.

000

High above Lunata Village, Cogsworth looked down on the few early risers already bustling about. Lunata Village was home to fairies and pixies and also stood as a resting place for traveling merchants, collectors, or explorers. The town itself was mainly constructed around or into the forest. Houses were perched in the trees while businesses were usually on the ground so they could be more easily reached by non-winged creatures.

Cogsworth flew down into the boughs of a nearby oak tree, startling a messenger pigeon away from its perch. There, he grew back to his normal size as he scanned the area once more. Then, his eyes fell open his destination. It was a small building (more of a hut really) with black walls and no windows. To many, it was foreboding and mysterious, but to the few who knew what was inside, it was even more disturbing. Except for Cogsworth, who had gotten used to the place, the fairy inside, and the antics that take place inside.

Feeling as if his wings were aflame with prying eyes, Cogsworth glanced over his shoulder but saw no one. _Stop that at once, you're becoming paranoid!_ Cogsworth scolded himself. Pushing away his feeling of being watched, Cogsworth flew down out of the tree. Still feeling shivers climbing up his spine and eyes watching him, Cogsworth hurried across the dirt street and ducked into the black hut.

Cogsworth stood in a decently large room filled with tables, brewing stands, cauldrons, and other things that would put many people on edge. A fairy stood on the other side of the room, her back to him. Her purple wings fluttered as she bent over some project. Her black, curly hair was so tangled it could've passed for a lion's mane. "It's been a longtime, hasn't it, Skree?" Cogsworth asked, getting her attention.

Not looking up from her work, Skree replied, "It truly has Cogsworth. For a while I thought you took your deals to another fairy."

"No one else is willing to give me poison, especially not for free. I have a reputation after all." Cogsworth reminded her. "Speaking of which, I need to restock my supplies."

"Well, as you said, you haven't come around in a long time, and that's a pretty tall order. I hope you have something good to offer me." Skree said, finally turning away from her potion.

Cogsworth grinned slightly. "I had a feeling you would say that." He opened his satchel and pulled out two small, blue objects. They were paper thin and glowed with magic. They oval-like objects grew in his hands.

Skree gaped. "Are those… pixie wings?" she gasped. Cogsworth didn't need to answer her question. She already knew the answer. Skree failed to notice that the decapitated wings were the same color and shape as Cogsworth's.

"Will you get me the potions I need in exchange for the wings?" Cogsworth asked.

"The potions are yours." Skree replied, snatching the wings out of his hands.

She hurried to a multitude of cupboards and shelves, gathering different potions as she went. Once she had built a small pile in her arms, she deposited them all into Cogsworth's satchel. Without a single word of parting, Cogsworth turned and left Skree's hut.

As soon as he stepped out of the door, he heard a familiar voice to his left. "What do you plan on doing with those, Heartless?" Cogsworth turned to see Selena leaning against the hut's wall, glaring at him.


	4. Chapter 4

**I'd like to thank both Babetteisawesome and A Draconequus for inspiring me on what to do with this chapter. If it weren't for them, this chapter wouldn't be nearly as awesome as it ended up being. Without further ado, here's chapter 4.**

Selena pushed herself off of the wall and took a few confident strides towards Cogsworth. As fast as his reflexes could manage, Cogsworth reached into his jacket and pulled out a small, silver stake. He had learned a long time ago to never go anywhere unarmed. In contrast to Cogsworth's hasty reaction, Selena stopped and looked him over, a disappointed expression on her face.

"I knew you were heartless, but you must be brainless if you think you have a chance against me with a weapon like that." Selena scoffed, rolling her eyes.

"I'm stronger than I look," Cogsworth threatened, though Selena did not seem convinced.

"Well if you're as strong as you say, this shouldn't hurt too much." Selena grinned darkly.

An unfamiliar sense of panic flooded over Cogsworth. What was she going to do to him? With the speed of a striking snake, Selena rushed at him and plunged her hand into his chest. Cogsworth collapsed onto his knees as she yanked out his soul. He already felt a million times weaker than before. A horrible smirk appeared on Selena's face as she spun the misty gray orb in her hand. Her cruel smile grew all the wider when she saw the pained grimace on his face.

"You're just torturing me. You have no intentions of killing me." Cogsworth said, trying to sound confident despite the agony the nightwalker was putting him through.

Selena tut-tutted as she tilted Cogsworth's chin up so that their faces were mere inches apart. "Foolish Heartless, I have _every_ intention of killing you," she hissed.

"If you want me dead so badly, you might want to try being smarter." Cogsworth laughed.

A confused expression crossed Selena's face before turning to shock and pain. The soul flew from her hands and back to its owner as Cogsworth latched his fangs into her wrist. Selena screamed and yanked her hand away from his hold. Blood flew everywhere, painting Skree's black wall with red dots. The nightwalker scowled at the blood streaming down her arm before turning the same expression to Cogsworth. He rose, finding his strength again now that his soul had returned to him.

Selena's giant, jet black wings shot out quickly. Pathetic in comparison, Cogsworth's light blue wings began to flutter in anticipation.

"You will regret doing that," Selena warned.

"Make me," Cogsworth sneered.

Selena charged at him again, but this time her powerful wings held her up off the ground. Her body was in a straight line like an arrow. Cogsworth drew a silver stake out of its sheath inside his jacket. Once Selena reached where the pixie stood, he leaped out of the way and slashed with his stake. Though Cogsworth had tried to avoid impact, Selena had managed to clip his side with her immense wings. The force of the blow was so great that Cogsworth felt all of he breath knocked out of him. Luckily for him, his stake had connected with Selena's shoulder, and blood now poured from the wound like a waterfall.

Cogsworth coughed as he desperately rushed to suck air back into his lungs. He needed to recover from the blow quickly or Selena would hit him again. Not once did he take his eyes off her as he slowly backed away, one hand wrapped around the spot where she'd hit him and the other gripped firmly on his stake. Selena's only movement was to wipe some of the blood off her shoulder, seeming somewhat disinterested in the gasping, stumbling pixie in front of her. Cogsworth knew why: in Selena's eyes, he didn't stand a chance, and she had already won the battle.

Just the thought of it made Cogsworth angry and frustrated. Very frustrated. Everyone always underestimated him either because of his short and chubby stature or the fact that he was 'just a cute little harmless pixie.' Suddenly burning with hatred, Cogsworth wanted to hurt something or preferably someone. Conveniently, Selena was already fighting him.

Shrinking down until he was only five inches tall, Cogsworth's wings fluttered rapidly and propelled him towards the now giant nightwalker. Because of how small he was, Selena didn't even notice him until she felt something poke her arm. It felt almost like a bee sting, but when she looked down to flick the pesky creature away, she saw a tiny pixie drilling his tiny stake into her arm.

Cogsworth looked up into Selena's huge silver eyes. All of a sudden, he felt even smaller as she glared menacingly at him. With a flick of her hand, Selena sent Cogsworth flying away, the stake left behind. Cogsworth tumbled end over end in seemingly never-ending somersaults. The world spun all around him, one second he was looking at the ground and the next second he sky blurred past. At once, the dizzying, spinning world stood still. There was a loud crack as Cogsworth's back slammed into the trunk of a tree. He grew back to his normal size as he slid down the base of the tree. There, he laid in a limp heap.

Now the heartless pixie was absolutely fuming. If there was one thing he hated more than being underestimated, it was being called or treated like a bug. Cogsworth's vision began to blur red, a side effect of his mixed rage and dizziness. He looked up at Selena, but his vision was so blurry and lopsided that he could barely tell she was there, even with her massive wings unfolded.

With only rage and hate to give him strength, Cogsworth dug his small claws into the bark of the tree and pushed himself to his feet. The ground spun out from under him, and he nearly collapsed again, too dizzy to properly stand up. His knees shaking and his view of the world twirling, Cogsworth leaned his back against the tree and faced Selena again. He heard her laugh and knew she was mocking him, but his mind was far too muddled and overwhelmed o understand her words.

As Cogsworth was about to pounce on Selena again, a haunting aria flooded through the clearing. Vaguely, somewhere in the thick fog of his clouded mind, Cogsworth recognized the singer's voice. However, he could not quite grasp who it was or how he knew them. The song went on, and a thick, silver mist began to shrouded the village. The mist, too, seemed familiar for reasons Cogsworth couldn't seem to grasp.

Soon the only things that didn't dissolve into the mist were Selena, Cogsworth, and the tree. By this time, the red had faded from Cogsworth's vision and the dizziness was starting to subside. He saw Selena's eyes turn white before she turned and walked away, disappearing into the mist like everything else. IN that very second, Cogsworth realized what was going on. The song, the mist, Selena leaving him alone; it was all because of Angelique and her siren magic. Angelique had used her mind controlling powers to lead Selena away.

Then, the heartless siren appeared out of the tree's branches, and the mist disappeared. Cogsworth shrunk slightly at the cold look in her ice blue eyes. She marched over to him and yanked him closer by the collar of his jacket. Their faces were only inches apart.

"You idiot!" Angelique spat, slapping Cogsworth across the face. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"I had it under control," Cogsworth grumbled in protest. "Besides, weren't you supposed to make an excuse for my absence at the castle?"

"Any excuse I came up with wouldn't be believed if you died and never came back."

Cogsworth tried to come up with another insult or witty remark but came up short.

With a sigh, Angelique pulled Cogsworth to his feet. "Let's get you back to the castle where Mrs. Potts can heal you. I can't afford to have you get murdered by being an idiot."


	5. Chapter 5

Babette rubbed her eyes as she pushed open the door to the servants' dining hall. When the door swung open, she was greeted by an unusual sight. The room was practically deserted. There wasn't even the sound of clinking dished echoing from the kitchen. Lumiere sat at the head of the table, but no one else was present.

"Where is everyone? Did I miss breakfast?" Babette asked him.

"They're all bustling about, trying to help that wretched pixie." Lumiere cursed, glaring so fiercely at the table that Babette worried he would light it on fire with his magic.

"What happened to Cogsworth?" Babette fretted, unsure if she wanted to know the answer.

"Angelique dragged him through the front door looking half dead. I didn't stay very long, but I heard Mrs. Potts say something about him breaking a leg and having his energy drained." Lumiere explained bitterly.

000

Taking a deep breath to refresh her confidence, Babette knocked on Cogsworth's bedroom door.

"If you're Mrs. Potts coming to lessen my pain, come in. If you're Angelique coming to yell at me again or Lumiere coming to gloat, go away." Cogsworth's voice said from the other side of the door.

"It's Babette," she answered.

There was a moment of silence as Cogsworth pondered whether or not to let her in. Eventually he le out a sigh of defeat, "fine, you can come in."

Babette swung open the door. She gasped when she saw the rows of potions lined up across the few shelves on his wall and his dresser. An empty leather satchel lay under his nightstand. Cogsworth was laying on his bed, staring boredly up at the ceiling. His injured leg, which was so tightly wrapped in bandages that it looked half-mummified, was resting on a couple of pillows.

"What do you want?" Cogsworth grumbled, not once looking at her.

"What is all of this?" Babette asked, ignoring his question. Her eyes scanned the rows of potions, whose colors ranged from light blue to deep red.

"Those are my supplies. Without a drop of magic to my name, I choose to always keep potions on hand in order to defend myself. You never know when a sorcerer will become a dangerous, power-hungry tyrant." Babette nearly dropped the vial of silver liquid she'd been holding when he said that. "No offense, _your majesty_ ," he added with a sneer.

Though badly shaken, Babette turned to face him. With as much confidence as she could muster, she replied, "you may have had your energy drained, but your sarcasm and mockery has clearly been left untouched."

For the first time, Cogsworth looked at her, and a wicked smile spread across his face. "I could do this all day," he threatened. "I will ask again: why are you here?"

"I heard about your injuries, and wanted to see if you were okay." Babette replied with forced calmness.

"Last time I heard that, you were secretly poisoning an innocent." Cogsworth spat. Babette visibly winced at his acidic comment. "Aw, what's wrong, Pwincess? Did I hurt your feewings?" He mocked her.

Their interactions continued like that for the next couple weeks. Babette, trying to be nice, had came in every day, but Cogsworth was just as ungrateful each time. However, Babette kept coming, holding on to some hope that maybe he would change.

Already discouraged, Babette shoved Cogsworth's door open. She blinked in confusion at the odd sight she saw. Cogsworth had the blankets pulled over his head and was making some sort of noise that the blankets muffled beyond recognition.

"Cogsworth?" she asked nervously.

When he didn't reply, she gently and slowly pulled the blankets off of his head. Babette was shocked to find the pixie with tears streaming down his face. She tried to say something but couldn't find the words.

"Why are you being so nice to me?" Cogsworth sobbed, his voice scratchy and hoarse. "I don't deserve this!"

Babette placed an arm around his shoulder. "That's not true, Cogsworth. Everyone deserves compassion, even me after everything I did."

"What is wrong with me?" Cogsworth screeched, looking at the tear drops falling onto his hands as if they were foreign. "Is this what guilt is like? I shouldn't be able to feel like this! I'm a Heartless, emotions like this aren't something I should be capable of!"

Babette's vision faded away until all she could see was Cogsworth'soutline. This was a power special to sorcerers, being able to see the outlines of people. These outlines were called a person's Glow, and each species had a different colored Glow. Sorcerers had a golden Glow, humans' were white, pixies' were light pink, and hybrids had a combination of colors.

On the night that the Heartlesses revealed their secret, Babette noticed that their Glow was black. Now, however, Cogsworth's Glow was black with a hint of light pink. That could only mean one thing, Cogsworth had at least part of a heart buried somewhere inside of his dark, heartless body. Babette did not know how, but she was going to strive to make that heart grow.


	6. Chapter 6

**Good news everyone, I'm not dead! Id'd like to apologize for thatlong, unannounced break. I did not intend to leave this story for so long. No, I did not get writer's block either. I simply got busy. I have actually had a decent portion of this chapter planned for months. Again, I'm so sorry for putting this off so long. I hope this sixth chapter will be worth the wait.**

After her shocking discovery, Babette had visited Cogsworth She didn't know how she could strengthen his heart, but if she'd helped the pixie this much, she could revive it completely. Babette still had no idea how that first heart fragment had even formed. Her best guess was that her kindness had been rubbing off on Cogsworth as the days passed.

She was on her way to the servants' quarters again when a hand caught her wrist. Startled, Babette whirled around to find herself face to face with Lumiere. His eyes were dark, and his expression was grim.

"Is something wrong?" she asked him, placing her free hand on his cheek.

Lumimere moved her hand away. "I want you to stay away from that Heartless," he ordered.

Babette couldn't believe what she was hearing. She ripped her hands out of his grip. "What do you mean?" Babette demanded. "He's becoming a better person."

"Dearest, he's a manipulator. I have no doubt that he's been lying to you." Lumiere cautioned her.

"He has a heart, Lumiere!" Babette exploded. "I saw it myself. Deep dowm, he's a scared, lonely, and unsure pixie who needs someone to guide him to good. That's what I'm trying to do."

"I just want to protect you." Lumiere whispered, reaching for her hands again.

Babette stepped back, glaring at him. "Why can't you believe me?" she asked before turning and running down the hall.

"Babette!" Lumiere tried to call after her, but he was too late. Her ears were deaf to his pleas.

Tears welled up in Babette's eyes as she hurried through the castle. She no longer knew where she was going. Her plans to visit Cogsworth were temporarily forgotten since she was in no condition to handle his unstable emotions right now. All Babette wanted was to get away; away from Lumiere, away from all the conflicts. Simply away.

As she raced through the maze of hallways, Babette bumped into multiple servants. She muttered "sorry" to most of them, but eventually her tearas choked out the words.

Babette stopped dead when she heard a voice as cold as ice behind her. "He's right, you know."

Fearful of who she suspected had spoken, Babette stole a glance over her shoulder. There stood Angelique, cold and imposing as a statue. Siniser hatred gleamed in her frozen gaze. Babette felt her hands trembling against her will.

"If you know what's good for you," Angelique hissed, "you will stay away from my partner. I don't need you filling his head with _hope_ and _good_ and other nonsense."

Babette took a wary step back, but Angelique took two confident steps forward. "Do you know why Lumiere told you to stay away from us?"

"He said he was trying to protect me," Babette answered in a meek whisper.

"All that brute wants is to see us suffer. He fears that maybe you can get our hearts back. His worry isn't about you, it's about letting us be happy. Isn't that a horrible and selfish desire?" Angelique growled.

"That cant be true," Babette breathed although, secretly, she feared that Angelique was right.

"But it is," the siren sneered. "Your liar of a husband will do anything to make us miserable. That's why we want our revenge, and I willl stop at nothing to get it. If that means killing you, then so be it. Maybe it'll make Lumiere suffer as an added bonus." Babette shuddered as Angelique bared her fangs and flexed her claws. "I will tear out your disgusting heart, one claw at a time."

That was when Babette hit her limit. Her patience had run out. Orange flames erupted around her and climbed up her arms. She fired a blast of it towards Angelique. The siren smirked and stepped out of the way. Babette's fireball left the wall behind where Angelique had been standing scorched black.

An orb of magic energy formed in Babette's palm. She swung it at Angelique. The siren didn't move quick enough, and the magic smacked into her. Angelique fell to the floor with a thud. She went to stand up, but Babette planted her foot on Angelique's cheek.

"Long live the queen," Angelique hissed.


	7. Chapter 7

Babette slammed open Cogsworth's bedroom door. Fury was coming off of her in waves. Cogsworth yelped and pulled his blanket over his head. Scowling at the floor, Babette crossed her arms and plopped angrily onto his bed.

"B-Babette?" Cogsworth squeaked, peeking his eyes out from under his blanket shield.

"What?" Babette snapped coldly.

Cogsworth cowered. "I just – I thought – I mean – Um," he stuttered. Crystal tears formed in his eyes, and he hung his head.

Seeing him cry ebbed away at Babette's rage. She gently placed her hand on his cheek, causing him to flinch. "Cogsworth, what's wrong?"

"I'm not used to being scared," he sniffled.

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. We all get scared sometimes" Babette reassured him.

"I don't!" Cogsworth snapped. "Instead of being afraid, I would always be angry. Fear is too similar to concern, something I wasn't emotionally capable of as a Heartless. I haven't felt fear since," he trailed off.

"Cogsworth," Babette said quietly, "can I ask a personal question?"

He sniffed again, "what?"

"Why did you become a Heartless? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to!" she added quickly when she saw him tear up again.

"N-no, it's fine. You deserve to know." Cogsworth sighed.

"I had a rough childhood. I never had any friends, but that really didn't bother me. Then, the bulling started. They found everything under the sun to make fun of me for. They'd tease me for being short, for being chubby, or for being a pixie."

"What's so bad about being a pixie?" Babette wondered.

"When people, especially humans, think of pixies and fairies, they think of dainty little flower girls. That stereotype has led to a lot of teasing aimed at male pixies, calling us pathetic or unmanly.

"Anyway, as I got older, the bullying got worse. They weren't afraid to hurt me physically. They would pull my wings, punch me, kick me. Sorcerer kids would cast random spells to humiliate me. I thought that maybe the torture would stop when we were all older, and the bullies would get sick of it. I was wrong. I was very wrong. Nothing changed. Everyday, I still came home with bruises and sometimes with cuts.

"Eventually, it became too much for me to bear. At age fifteen, I packed a satchel full of provisions and ran from home. I ended up in Lunata Village, a town of fairies and pixies. There I met Skree, a crazy old fairy who was famous for making potions and freaking out everyone. Everyone was afraid of her, so nothing ever happened with her potions. We made a deal, she let me sell her potions and keep the money if I gathered potion ingredients for her. Occasionally, she would even give me her potions for free.

"As I was working for Skree, I started to have ideas. I started to crave vengeance. I bought a silver stake from a skilled blacksmith passing through town, and I started to stockpile the potions Skree gave me. With the money I earned, I hired some others to work with me. Then, I started to hunt down all the old bullies. To be honest, it felt good. It felt amazing.

"Rumors started going around about the deaths. Some people noticed that all of the murders were of people who had tortured a little pixie when they were kids. Stories went around that maybe that little pixie was out for revenge. The story sounded ludicrous, but it was true.

"During one of the attacks, Lumiere found me. My stake was covered in blood, and so was I. Lumiere knew exactly what had happened. He knew I was a heartless mass murderer. So, he made me just as physically heartless as I was figuratively."

"What about your followers?" Babette asked. "And how did you meet Angelique?"

"My followers thought I was dead. Instead of giving me a proper funeral, they dumped me at the foot of a tree in the middle of the woods. When I woke up goodness-knows-how-long later, I was shocked to be alive. However, I was extremely weak. I couldn't move from the tree and just barely managed to keep myself going.

"I woke up one day and found myself inside someone's house. Naturally, I freaked out. That's when I met Angelique. She walked into the room and told me to shut up. After getting me a real meal for the first time since I woke up under that tree, she explained everything. She told me that we were both Heartless, and that she only saved me because she thought I could help her get revenge. As you know, I agreed."

Suddenly, Cogsworth felt Babette's arms wrapped around him. He inhaled sharply and looked at her strangely. "Babette…"

She abruptly let go. "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I never knew you went through all that, and I just wanted to give you hug."

"N-no, th-that's okay. I d-don't mind. It's just that I-I've never been hugged before. I-It was kind of nice though." He admitted sheepishly.

Babette smiled and hugged him again. Lumiere was wrong. She could do this. She had the power to save Cogsworth.


	8. Chapter 8

"Lumiere."

Lumiere whirled around, having heard Babette's stern and admonishing voice behind him. "Babette, my angel, is something wrong?" he asked, trying to hide his hesitation.

Babette stormed up to him and yanked his collar. "You are a hypocrite," she hissed in his face. "You justify your rash actions by saying you couldn't let them keep hurting people, but you have also hurt people, including them. You were a murderer, no better than Cogsworth. What's worse, ending someone's life or taking it from them while letting them suffer for all eternity? Did you even think to consider why they did what they did?"

"He was a murderer! He had no second thoughts about cold-blooded killing! He didn't care about people!" Lumiere protested.

"Clearly you don't either." Babette spat, dropping him in disgust.

"There was no way of knowing who he'd kill next! That pixie was crazy, murdering whoever he pleased!" Lumiere insisted.

"He wasn't attacking just anyone, Lumiere. He had reasons for what he did, and he wasn't going to harm anyone else after that was finished."

"Whether he had reasons or not, what he did was wrong!"

"Again, I will say hypocrite! You killed people too, and I think what you did to Cogsworth and Angelique is even worse!"

Before Lumiere could get in another word in his defense, Babette shot him a final glare and teleported away. Lumiere let out a shuddering sigh before collapsing to his knees.

000

The door creaked as it was opened. Cogsworth glanced hopefully at the doorway. His hopes instantly sank. It was not Babette he saw in the doorway, it was _Angelique._

She wore her usual cold scowl. He trembled under the strength of her hate. The whole room seemed to drop a few degrees.

"A-Angelique," Cogsworth started meekly.

"Quiet." Angelique snapped, making him flinch. She clicked her tongue. "You disappoint me, Cogsworth. I thought you were stronger than this."

"We d-don't need revenge. We can be h-happy." Cogsworth insisted.

Angelique grimaced. "Whatever that hybrid has been telling you, she lies. We can never be happy again. Happiness is for the weak."

"N-no. There's still hope for us. We can have hearts again." Cogsworth promised.

With a disgusted sigh, Angelique shook her head. "I thought you were better than this. I thought you of all people would be up for the revenge game. I see now that I was wrong. I should've left you under that tree to starve. Even my own kind cannot be trusted, cannot help me."

"Please, Angelique," Cogsworth begged, "just listen to me."

"You are pathetic!" Angelique screamed. "You are weak and foolish, stupid and trusting, tiny and disappointing, hated and useless! Worst of all, you believe in _love_ , like a true idiot. Think about what you're becoming and make a decision. I don't need you. I'll be okay alone. You, on the other hand, will just be abandoned again if you think this fools are your _friends._ You sicken me." Angelique turned and stormed out the door, slamming it shut behind her.

For a long moment, Cogsworth stared at the door, stunned. Then, he pulled his knees to his chest and broke down in sobs.


	9. Chapter 9

**Sorry for taking so many absences, guys. I've been really busy with other projects lately, including an especially large one on Yo-Kai Watch amino. On top of that, I have been busy with tests lately and I'm about to be juggling a theater production on top of that. With everything that's been going on, I might take a hiatus from this account after I finish The Dark Secret. Then again, with how I've been going so far, it'll probably be summer by the time I finish, and I'll have plenty of time then. Anyway, I hope you enjoy the ninth chapter.**

Babette didn't know how it had happened.

When she'd returned from her confrontation with Lumiere, something had changed about Cogsworth's attitude. He was bustling around his bedroom, limping slightly on his newly healed leg. His eyes were red from crying, but his expression betrayed no pain or sorrow, only fierce determination.

At first, Babette couldn't make sense of his seemingly random acts. Then, she saw the pattern. Cogsworth was checking his supply of potions, which hadn't been touched since he returned to the castle wounded. He continuously returned to a piece of paper on his desk. Babette guessed that he was making a list and a plan through which to use his supplies.

One question kept returning to Babette's mind. Why? What had motivated Cogsworth to get back on his feet? Why was he suddenly so focused after being bedridden and emotionally tormented for such a long time? What could he be planning for? Revenge on the person who'd attacked him? No, he put that behind him… didn't he?

That wasn't the only thing confusing about the scene. As he went about his routine, Cogsworth placed his hand on his chest again and again and again, as if making sure something was still there.

Babette gasped. Could it be? She gasped again when she saw the pixie's Glow. Vibrant pink. Not a trace of black. It was almost unbelievable. Cogsworth had a heart.

Filled with unmeasurable joy, Babette tackled Cogsworth into a hug. He yelped but relaxed and even smiled when he saw it was her.

"Cogsworth, you have a heart!" Babette exclaimed.

He laughed, "I noticed. It… It feels amazing. I feel happy, truly happy, for the first time in years."

"I'm so happy for you." Babette told him. She nodded to the paper on his desk. "What's all this?"

"Plans and notes," Cogsworth answered.

"For what?"

"It'd be selfish to keep this wonderful feeling to myself. I want Angelique to have a heart too. I believe she can be an amazing person with love." Cogsworth explained.

"You have a lot of faith in her. I hope you're right." Babette sighed.

"I know I'm right. She saved my life."

"She only saved you because she thought she could use you as a pawn. Angelique is a mastermind and a puppeteer. Whether with her siren power or her sweet words, she always twists people to her will." Babette warned.

Cogsworth froze in his routine. His wings fluttered like they always did when he was tense. Stiffly and slowly, he turned to face Babette, his leafy eyes betraying his hurt. "You don't trust me?" His expression turned harsh. "You don't trust me. You trusted a Heartless, a murderer, a revenge-crazed maniac! But, you don't trust me now."

"Cogsworth-"

"I _know_ I'm right."

Babette gently placed her hand on his cheek. He relaxed at the calmness in her eyes. "I just don't want to see you get hurt, emotionally or physically." She said soothingly.

Cogsworth hovered a few inches off the floor so that their faces were level. "I'll be okay," he promised, "and she will be too. I'm going to save her, even if it's the last thing I do."

000

Three days had passed since Cogsworth had started walking again. He barely limped anymore and no longer needed Babette's help to keep him steady. The other servants did not know what had happened, but something about the attack had changed him. He was still strict, sarcastic, and picky, but he had become much kinder and more supportive. He almost seemed like a different man.

Cogsworth was on his way to the library now that he finally had time to return the large stack of books he'd been given while he was injured. With the stack of wobbling books in his arms, he couldn't see any of what was in front of him. Thankfully, there was no one around for him to run into.

"Cogsworth."

The voice startled him so much that he nearly dropped his books. A few tumbled off the top of the stack. He reached for a book, only to find another hand already on it. Cogsworth looked straight up into Lumiere's blue eyes.

"Thank you," Cogsworth started awkwardly.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Lumiere apologized. "I was hoping we could talk."

"You and me? Talk?" Cogsworth echoed in surprise.

Lumiere nodded. "I know it's probably not the best thing after all we've done to each other, but I was hoping you could give me a minute of your time. I'd like to apologize."

"My new heart seems quite fond of compassion. I think apologies could be arranged." Cogsworth smiled.


	10. Chapter 10

**So… It's been a while. And I have a lot of apologies that need to get out. I know I said I'd write chapters more frequently. Well, that didn't hold to truth. I wanted to finish this story much sooner, but I've been very preoccupied this summer. After this chapter, I can't make any promises. But I promise I will** _ **try**_ **harder with uploading chapters somewhat frequently. Sigh… Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this short and long overdue chapter.**

Babette was shocked by the way things had changed. Lumiere and Cogsworth had forgiven and began to trust one another. A lot of the other servants said they acted like brothers, and Babette couldn't help but agree.

For the time being, the three of them had put worries of Angelique's violence out of their minds. Cogsworth refused to visit Skree again now that he had integrity and a much better reputation. Despite his lack of magic, Cogsworth had begun to practice alchemy in his spare time. It was the only way for him to get potions now, aside from getting tangled up in the difficulties of fairy trading. They were very stubborn creatures, and skilled bargainers.

Getting Angelique a heart was easier said than done. She had threatened and even tried to kill Cogsworth multiple times when he'd approached her. Even so, he persisted. Nothing would stop him from saving her. Like he'd told Babette, he would save her if it was the last thing he did.

"Angelique, please listen to me. I just want us to be happy." He begged.

She pulled out her dagger. "I've killed six incompetent partners in the past when they disappointed me. I'm not afraid to make you the seventh."

Cogsworth's wings drooped and he hung his head. "Fine. I'll leave you alone like you want."

He trudged to the library. Books were a safe haven from the chaos of the world. They helped him to forget. Forget his struggles with Angelique. Forget the people he'd murdered, who now haunted his dreams every night Angelique's threats didn't. Forget the physical and emotional pain he'd gone through over the past couple years.

These were the thoughts he hid from Babette and Lumiere. They were both so kind and supportive, but he didn't want to burden them with his problems anymore. This was his fight and his alone. He'd have Angelique with him soon. She'd be able to relate, and they would be able to comfort each other.

 _I just need to help her see how wonderful life will be once this revenge game is over,_ he thought with a sigh.

000

"Babette, I owe you an apology." Lumiere admitted as he sat down beside her. "You were right about him. I should've had faith in you."

She smiled and kissed him lightly on his cheek. "You only wanted to protect me. I understand. I've just been waiting for that apology."

"I love you, Babette."

"I love you too, Darling."


	11. Chapter 11

Angelique hummed a quiet, dark tune under her breath as she sharpened her silver dagger. Tendrils of fog slithered through her bedroom along with the melody. The magic in her voice made shivers climb up her body with the sensation of pure **power**. Cogsworth may have betrayed her, but she had strength. Nothing could stand in her way. Vengeance fueled her, and she would not fail again. This time, she would not rely on the assistance of a hybrid or a pixie. They would only hinder her.

With an annoyed sigh, she shoved the blade into its sheath, which she tucked into her blue cloak. Even if he was a traitor, Cogsworth had been right about one thing. Never go anywhere unarmed. The world they lived in was full of magical and powerful deities. Literally anything could be out to kill you, especially if you were a Heartless who had plotted the takeover of two kingdoms in the past.

She slammed open her bedroom door. A pained squeak told her that she'd smashed it into Fife, the shy little elf who often performed his flute music for the king and queen. Instead of apologizing, Angelique laughed wickedly and marched away. With her Heartless status having been revealed, she didn't bother trying to feign kindness to others anymore. Even pretending to be **nice** and **considerate** made her feel sick.

"Angelique."

The voice stopped her in her tracks. A growl rose up in her throat. Why wouldn't he just give up already? She turned to face him, an icy scowl on her face.

"I thought I told you to leave me alone, Pipsqueak." She spat.

"I don't want to give up on you!" Cogsworth pleaded with her. "Please come with me! Give love a chance!"

She whipped out her dagger. "Quiet your tongue, or I'll cut it out for you." She hissed. Before he could say another word in protest, she stormed away.

Rage consumed her. Cogsworth might've said more to her, but she wasn't listening. No sound could reach her ears. No occurrence could attract her eyes. The world was nothing but fury and misery for her, after what that blasted sorcerer had done to her. But vengeance was nigh. Soon. Soon, she would finally have the power to get rid of everything in her path. This wretched kingdom would be hers, and she would wreck havoc upon every foul creature who had wronged her.

A smirk tugged on the corner of her lips. "And I think I'll start with the pixie." She purred wickedly.

000

Angelique was starting to reconsider her options. As much as she hated him with every ounce of her being, perhaps eliminating Cogsworth first was not the best option. He could still prove useful. She had little doubt that his kind façade would shatter and give way to her will if there was a blade at his throat. His talent with alchemy could give her a huge advantage against the might of the king and the hybrids, enhancing her strength, speed, anything really.

Lost in her plotting thoughts, Angelique was unaware of the determined, loving pixie she so despised. "Angelique, if you'll just-"

Startled, Angelique whirled around, throwing her dagger with deadly accuracy. Before she could even register who had spoken to her, the silver blade was lodged in his chest. His leafy green eyes widened in stunned realization. A cough shook his tiny body, his wings twitching. Blood trickled down his lip and chin. He looked up from the blade at her, betrayed tears in his eyes.

"I… believed… in you…" he choked out the words before collapsing limply to the floor with a cold, echoing thud.

" **NO!** " Angelique shrieked, running to and kneeling at his side. Tears were streaming down her face, but she was too distraught to question how.

Her dagger was still speared in his chest. Trembling, he gasped for air, blood pooling from his mouth. Sobbing, Angelique tenderly pulled him into her lap and cradled him close. She couldn't bring herself to yank out the blade, knowing it would cause him pain. Either way, his death was inevitable. Angelique didn't want to inflict even more agony upon him in his final moments.

A hand on her shoulder caught Angelique's attention. She looked straight up into Babette's soft blue eyes. Angelique's tears seemed to come down even harder. Babette, Lumiere, and everyone else would be horribly grieved over this. What had she done?

"We need to get him outside into the garden." Babette said gently.

Slowly, in the midst of her agony, Angelique managed to make sense of what Babette was saying. Pixies, fairies, and elves all pined when they died. They're lifeless bodies transformed into plants. Angelique and Babette needed to get Cogsworth outside before he pined, or his second life would end much too soon. Gently, Angelique closed his empty, glassy eyes and lifted him in her arms. She swore it looked like he was smiling. If not for the drying blood caked all over him, it might've seemed like he was sleeping in her arms.

As Angelique began to carry him towards the front door, Babette closed her eyes and let the world fade away. Angelique's Glow blazed a brilliant silver, and Babette's eyes snapped open. They filled with tears again as Cogsworth's words came back to her.

 _"I'm going to save her, even if it's the last thing I do."_

She hurried to catch up with Angelique, who was already in the garden. She was sitting on her knees in front of a blue rose bush, weeping miserably. Babette kneeled beside her, placing a comforting hand on Angelique's shoulder.

"He sacrificed himself so you could have a heart and be happy. He wanted you to know love like he did." Babette told her sadly.

"I'll do my best to be what he wanted, what he knew I could I be." Angelique sniffed. "I wish I would've realized it earlier when I could've told him. I know it now. He was important to me, and not as a pawn. In some way or another, I loved him."


	12. Epilogue

Angelique trudged out into the castle courtyard. Fluffy snowflakes drifted lazily from the gray blanket of clouds looming above. They stung her pale skin, for she had neglected the need for her soft blue cloak.

Most of the once beautiful and flourishing castle garden had withered in the recent frosts. The cold air brought tears to Angelique's ice blue eyes. She remembered how much Cogsworth had loved this place when it had been full of gorgeous summer blossoms. Seeing the cold emptiness of the place reminded her of the way he was now gone, as if his beloved garden had withered with him and was now mourning him with her.

The snow crunched under her pointed shoes. She approached an isolated section of the garden, home of the only plant still blooming in the cold. The thorny remains of her dear little pixie. King Adam and Lumiere had erected a marble gravestone, and the blue rose bush had grown around it like an embrace.

Shivering, Angelique collapsed to her knees in front of the grave. Tears flooded from her eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." She sobbed.

She felt leafy tendrils wrap themselves around her shoulders. To her surprise, there was no sting from the thorns piercing her cold skin. When she looked closer, she noticed that the thorns had shifted away so as not to cut her.

"Do not cry." Cogsworth's all too familiar voice whispered gently in her ear. "I died so you could live happily. I don't want my sacrifice to be in vain. Don't live your life mourning me. I'm not gone forever."

She looked up at the soft blue rose blossoms, tears in her eyes. "How?" she breathed.

One of the dark leaves reached up to wipe away her tears. "I will live on in you, Angelique. I will be here whenever you need me. I'm not completely gone. My spirit survives in the roses and in your heart."

"It's so hard!" Angelique wailed. "A lot of people still don't trust me. This would all be so much easier if you were still with me. You know how to love better than I do. I miss you. And sometimes I wonder if I should even be here. Sometimes I feel like everyone would like me better dead, after everything I've done."

The leaves gently and comfortingly stroked her blonde hair. "There there, all will be well." He said gently. One of the rose blossoms rested itself gently against her cheek. "I loved you to the very end. Be patient and everyone else will too. Redemption is not fast or easy. It takes hard work and time, but the prize is worth it. You just have to stay strong and reach out. I'll be here no matter what."

"It's nice to have someone to talk to." Angelique sighed peacefully. "Babette tries to help me, but her experience just isn't quite the same as what we've been through."

Neither one knew how long they spent talking in the cold. Eventually however, Babette appeared in the castle door. "Angelique! Come inside before you get a cold!"

Angelique frowned. "I have to go."

"I'll be here, I promise."

With a small smile, Angelique leaned forward and planted a light kiss on one of the blue roses before hurrying inside after Babette. No one, not even he himself, could see it, but Cogsworth was blushing.

 **And there is the end! At long long long long long long last! I wonder how many of you actually believed in me to finish this. *tries to casually reference Cogsworth's last words but ends up crying* Forget I said that… Anyway, I wanted to let you guys know that I might not write here on anymore. I find it rather tedious to write for this site. I personally prefer writing on Wattpad and Amino. I plan to write much more BatB work on the Beauty and the Beast amino. I also have a Yo-kai Watch amino if you'd like to see me write for that. By the way, I go under the name TicEnchantedToc on amino. I hope to see you all in my next fanfic, whether it be here or on another site!**


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